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File Storage & Backup · head to head

Duplicati vs Borg Backup

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage & Backup

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Borg Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Borg Backup differ
AttributeDuplicatiBorg Backup
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxLinux, Mac
CategoryFile Storage & BackupBackup & Disaster Recovery
Founded20082015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Duplicati

  • AES-256 encryption
  • Incremental backup
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Web interface
  • AWS S3
  • Azure
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox

Only in Borg Backup

  • Content-defined chunking
  • Authenticated encryption
  • Pruning
  • Mount archives
  • SSH
  • BorgBase
  • rsync.net
  • Hetzner Storage Box

Both cover

  • Deduplication
  • Compression
  • Mac support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Duplicati

  • Data protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Disaster recoverynot Borg Backup
  • Business continuitynot Borg Backup
  • Ransomware protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Compliancenot Borg Backup

Borg Backup

  • Deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensivenot Duplicati
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Duplicati
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Duplicati
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Duplicati

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Duplicati

  • No managed service or commercial support
  • Relies on community support
  • No enterprise features

Borg Backup

  • Linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • Command-line only, with no graphical interface in the project itself
  • Version 2.0 is still in beta, so production use means staying on the 1.4 line
  • Restoring requires the Borg tooling, since archives are a deduplicated chunk store rather than plain files

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Which should you pick?

Choose Duplicati if

  • You need aes-256 encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want incremental backup.
Duplicati review

Choose Borg Backup if

  • You need content-defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac.
  • You also want authenticated encryption.
Borg Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Borg Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Borg Backup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Borg Backup?
Duplicati starts at Free and Borg Backup at Free.
Does Duplicati or Borg Backup run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac.
Can I use Duplicati for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Duplicati best used for?
Duplicati is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Borg Backup is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that Borg Backup cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Multiple cloud backends, Web interface. Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Authenticated encryption, Pruning, Mount archives. Both handle Deduplication, Compression, Mac support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Duplicati: Is Duplicati free?

Yes. Duplicati is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium tiers, trials, or limitations.

Source
Duplicati: What does Duplicati support?

Duplicati supports zero-trust, fully encrypted backups to local storage, network drives, and cloud services. It includes deduplication and incremental backups.

Source
Duplicati: What are the platforms?

Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can back up data to local storage, network drives, or cloud providers.

Source
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Related pages

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